Centre issues advisory to news channels against broadcasting offensive, misleading content

The ministry concerned drew attention to reportage on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, certain incidents in North-West Delhi and news debates

"Scandalous" and "provocative" headlines, anchors making "fabricated and hyperbolic statements" and showing footage of a specific community during the coverage of Ukraine-Russia war and communal incident in North-West Delhi have prompted the Government on Saturday to "advise" private TV channels not to use "unauthentic, misleading, sensational and using socially unacceptable language and remarks".

The advisory by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting came as authorities found violation of the The Cable Television (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the Programme Code by the TV channel. It cited the coverage of the Ukraine-Russian conflict and the violence in North-West Delhi's Jahangirpuri in particular.

The coverage of the events and incidents by several channels "appears to be unauthentic, misleading, sensational and using socially unacceptable language and remarks, offending good taste and decency, and obscene and defamatory and having communal overtones".

Also Read — Dangerous for press freedom

"The Government expresses serious concern about the manner in which the television channels have gone about their operations in the matter of transmitting content and are hereby strongly advised to immediately refrain from publishing and transmitting any content which is violative," it said.

Citing the coverage of the Ukraine-Russia war, the advisory said channels have been "making false claims and frequently misquoting international agencies/actors" besides using "scandalous headlines/taglines that are completely unrelated" to the news item.

The advisory found fault with "many of the journalists and news anchors”, saying they made "fabricated and hyperbolic statements intending to incite" the audiences.

On the Jahangirpuri incident, it said there were "provocative headlines and videos of violence" that may incite communal hatred among the communities and disrupt peace and law and order. Some reports intended to disrupting the ongoing investigation process by "playing scandalous and unverified CCTV footages" besides showing footages of a specific community thus aggravating the communal tensions.

Also Read — Indian officials involved in 'intimidating' journalists critical of govt, says US report on human rights

There were also "fabricated headlines sensationalising and giving communal colours to the actions of authority", it said.

The advisory went on to mention reportage like unverified reports like Russia about to launch nuclear attack on Ukraine within 24 hours. One channel aired fabricated pictures claiming to be the proof of the upcoming Nuclear attack on Ukraine, it said.

It also said a channel repeatedly carried a video clipping of a man belonging to a specific community carrying a sword.

Referring to a programme in a channel, it said the overall tenor and tonality of the show remained “very aggressive and disturbing” and “such ambience has a tendency to negatively impact the viewers especially children and may have a long lasting psychological distress and subliminal impact” on them.

While discussing the ban on loudspeakers and the debate on it, the advisory said some programmes used “derogatory”, “instigating” and “communal” comments.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: